Anniversaries: Boxing Eve
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Born this day: (Guglielmus Xylander), scholar and translator, 1532; Thomas Gray, poet and scholar, 1716; Lord George Gordon, anti-Catholic agitator, 1751; Mary Fairfax Somerville, mathematician and writer on physics, 1780; Charles Babbage, computer pioneer, 1792; Albert Grisar, composer, 1808; 1829; Sir Norman Angell (Ralph Norman Angell Lane), author and journalist, 1874; Henry Valentine Miller, novelist, 1891; Mao Tse-tung, Chinese Communist leader, 1893; Richard Widmark, actor, 1914.
Died this day: Claude-Adrien Helvetius, philosopher and encyclopaedist, 1771; John Wilkes, politician and journalist, 1797; Mary Robinson, nee Darby ('Perdita'), actress and royal mistress, 1800; Pasquale Stanislao Mancini, statesman, 1888; Heinrich Schliemann, archaeologist, 1890; Sir Joseph Noel Paton, painter, 1901; Frederic Remington, artist and illustrator, 1909; Melvil Dewey, library classification system inventor, 1931; Ivor Bertie Gurney, composer, 1937; James Stephens, poet and novelist, 1950; Charles Pathe, film producer and director, 1957; Sydney Francis Barnes, cricketer, 1967; Harry S. Truman, 33rd US President, 1972; Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky), comedian, 1974; Elsa Lanchester, actress, 1986; Sir Lennox Randal Francis Berkeley, composer, 1989.
On this day: King Stephen acceded to the throne of England, 1135; the Treaty of Pressburg was signed between France and Austria, making territorial settlements, 1805; the Decembrist army revolt in Russia was crushed, 1825; the independence of Belgium was agreed by the Allied powers, 1830; radium was discovered by Pierre and Marie Curie, 1898; the world's first feature film, The Story of the Kelly Gang, was shown in Melbourne, Australia, 1906; Jack Johnson, heavyweight boxer, became world champion after a match in Sydney, Australia, 1908; the Battle of the North Cape took place, when the German battle-cruiser Scharnhorst was sunk in the North Sea, 1943; Fidel Castro landed in Cuba, starting a revolution against the Batista regime, 1956; the Prince Charles Theatre, London, opened, 1962.
Sunday is Boxing Day (Handsel Day in Scotland) and the Feast Day of St Archelaus of Kashkar, St Dionysius, pope, St Stephen, St Tathai or Athaeus, St Vincentia Lopez and St Zosimus, pope.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments